Square Enix Montreal cancels next-gen Hitman title

Information about a next-gen addition to the Hitman series first arose in 2011, and concept art for the game appeared in 2012. Very little was known about it, with some information suggesting it would be a reimagining with the series’ standard gameplay and other information suggesting it would have online components such as leaderboards and microtransactions.

Fans became concerned about the game’s future when Square Enix Montreal’s focus was shifted to mobile games in 2013, and it seems their fears were justified—senior game designer Richard Knight’s LinkedIn profile has revealed the cancellation of the title.

Instead, the company is making a Hitman title for iOS and Android. This seems to be part of a company-wide move to enter the mobile market. However, while Square Enix thinks this is a good idea, players are less certain. Many people decry the release of mobile games—which sometimes are of lesser quality than console games—and their frequent emphasis on microtransactions as a move that will spell out Square Enix’s doom. There are not enough details known about the mobile Hitman title to predict whether it will be a success or a failure.

The good news is that Hitman itself has not been relegated entirely to mobile entries. The main series is in the hands of IO Interactive, which will be working on an AAA Hitman title, but whether this is Montreal’s cancelled game or a new one is unclear.